Steam & Excursion > Frisco Friday at St Louis Union Station

On a hazy, smoggy December 5, 1945 huge Frisco 4-8-2 4404 is pulling past the tower and wye at Union Station and will soon back into the trainshed to the bumper post under the control of the conductor who will control the air from the hind car of the train.
4404 is one of the 23 4400 class which was built at West Springfield shops, utilizing as much of the old 1-60 2-10-2 rail kinker drag engines.   They ended up being one othe heaviest 4-8-2s built.   They got great service from these engines.  4403 shows the modified sand dome to enable the engine to get into the Kansas City train shed umbrellas.  She also has the passenger striping applied to other engines in the 1000 4-6-2s and 1500 4-8-2s.
Photo: James Bowie, neg my collection.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/17/20 07:03 by Frisco1522.

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Another classic, Don -- wow! What I would have given to have actually witnessed that scene. Thanks much for sharing it with us -- just wonderful.

MC

Look at those drivers.  Thanks for sharing this photo. 

What a Brute, Don! You've definitely made me a Frisco Fan over the years...well, 1522 helped a bit too.

Cheers, Dave

Excellent Don.  What do you think, Bluebonnet?  Those yellow Katy express boxcars were certainly distinctive.

Gordon

I would say it is No. 8, Bluebonnet judging from the sun and consist.  Light work for the 4403.

Substitute a smokebox front along the lines of 1522's and Boxpok drivers for Scullin, and you'd have a locomotive knocking on the door of aesthetic perfection,  ;-)

Mary McPherson
Dongola, IL
Diverging Clear Productions

No no! Scullin drivers look best on everything, just ask me ;-)

Cheers, Dave

Pump shields on the pilot add a lot too.

tomstp Wrote:
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> Pump shields on the pilot add a lot too.

Shh.  Don't say that in front of Mary.  IC you know....................

Frisco1522 Wrote:
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> tomstp Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Pump shields on the pilot add a lot too.
>
> Shh.  Don't say that in front of Mary.  IC you
> know....................

And the smokebox door, too. The smaller doors as on the 1522 are fine. But I like the larger ones, too, and on this big engine I think it looks great. That now said, am awaiting incoming from Southern Illinois....

Coffin Corp feed water pump/heater?

​W.

wcamp1472 Wrote:
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> Coffin Corp feed water pump/heater?
>
> ​W.

Yep, Coffin was popular on the Frisco.  Thank God they were inside the smokebox (except on the 1350-1356 2-8-2s).

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